Stream-line construction



June 17, 1930. L, J, JOHNSQN 1,763,970v

STREAM LINE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f/ n lu [g/6 ML Im u Z4 f zz O---;/ f@ /Z Si :6

/0 i i 'a a 53 June 17, 1930. L J JOHNSON 1,763,970

STREAM LINE CONSTRUCTION Filed June i8, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 PatentedJune 17, 1930 UNITED 2sTATEs PATENT or-'Fi'cE LOUIS JAMES JOHNSON, OFWAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS, ASBIGNOB TO JOHNSON BROTHERS ENGINEERINGCORPORATION, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANASTREAM-LINE CONSTRUCTION Application led .Tune 18,

My invention relates to stream line constructions for the casing whichencloses the lower unit of an outboard or inboard motor assembly. l

The present construction relates to certain improvements in thestreamline construction shown in an application filed jointly by me andHarry L. Johnson on January 16, 1928, Serial N o. 247,004, relating tothe stream line contour of the lower unit of an outboard or inboard typeof motor and in which pi'ioi ap-plication the lower unit comprised anenclosing casing in which were housed the vertical drive shaft, theangularly disposed propeller shaft carrying the propeller, and whereinalso there was provided an anti-cavitation plate which in conjunctionwith the casing and a water inlet and discharge, provided means inconjunction with the propeller for forcing water through the internalpassages in the gear casing and upwardly to the water jacket of theengine. In this prior construction this gear casing was formed of streamline contour to a point above the normal water level whereby to permitthe lower propeller carrying struct-ure or unit to move through thewater with-little resistance.

In the present invention I have provided an improved stream lineconstruction for this lower unit which new construction provides aminimum resistance to the Water during the travel of the boat. In thisimproved construction the lower portion of the housing or casing, orthat portion which is wholly submerged inthe water, is formed with astream line contour wherein the front vertically extending portionthereof is designated as a rounded blunt-like nose and trails rearwardlyinto a substantially knife-like edge, while the upper portion of thecasing or that portion which lies slightly under, at, and above thewater line and which is adapted to cut the water as the boat travelstherethrough, is formed of approximately symmetrically shaped knife-edgecontour, that is, the front edge ofthe casing oi' that edge which facesthe direction of travel of the boat instead of being roundedly blunt asis the case with the corresponding lower portion of the casing is 1928.Serial No. 286,223.

of approximately wedge or knife-edge construction so as to provide acutting action to the water. This combination of stream line contours ofthe casing offers the least resistance to the travel Aof the boatthrough the water and permits of extremely high speeds.

Certain other features of my invention relate to the bearing members forthe approximately lvertical drive shaft and the approximately horizontalpropeller shaft and also to the manner in which these bearings may i belubricated.

-These and other objects of my invention will be apparent from a perusalof the following specification when taken in connection with theaccompanyingy drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved stream line construction;

Figure 2 is a front view thereof;

Figure 3 is a side sectional view of the lower portion of the structure;

Fgure 4 is avsection on line 4-4 of Figure Figure 5 is a section on line5 5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Fie;- ure 3; and A Figure 7 is adetail sectional View of the sealed bearing for the rear end of thepropeller shaft.

Referring now to the /drawings in detail, my improved construction isshown for purposes of exemplification as applied to the propellercarrying unit of an outboard motor; the device is equally applicable toany type of inboard motor.

In figure 1 the outboard motor assembly comprises the usual bracket 2adapted to be attached by means of the clamp 4 to the suitable sternsupport of a water vehicle. This bracket 2 is provided with a pivotalshaft 6 on which is mounted. the usual supporting collar 8 and tubularcasing 10. The upper en d of this support and casing is provided with acylinder block 12 on which is detachably mounted the self containedpower plant or prime mover for driving the propeller. As in the usualtype of outboard motor this to make locking engagement withcorrespondpower plant comprises a two-cycle d ouble opposed gas engine,one of lthe cylinders of which is shown at 14. .In addition the fucltank 16, muier 18, the combined flywheel magneto and rope starter 20,the carburetor 22, the tiller control-24 and other adjunctive devicesare all carried by the cylinder block. In the present type ofconstruction the tiller control 24 and the entire rime mover turn withthe tubular casing 10 ut other arranges ments are within thecontemplation of this invention such for instance as turning the tubularcasing 10 by means of the tiller control 24 without turning the engineor prime mover and its adjunctive parts.

The lower-most portion of the bracket 2 is provided with laterallycurved spaced apart arms 26 slotted as at 28 to receive a clamping screw30 which in turn carries a portion of av collar `32 having lockingportions adapted ing lockinnr portions 34 on the lower portion ot' thecasing 10 so that when the propeller carrying casing is shifted intoreversing position the casing will not be permitted to tilt. All of theforegoing construction is old in the art and no specific claims are madethereto. v

The particular features foriinngthe subject matter of the presentinvention relate to the construction of the propeller carrying casingadapted to enclose theloWer-most part of the engine drive shaft whichpasses downwardly substantially vertically and within the tubular casing10 and which gear casing also houses the propeller carrying shaft andcarries the propeller and in addition is preferably provided withinternal waterpassages and means for causing the circulation of thewater upwardly through the casing to the water jacket of the engine. Oneof the features of my present invention resides in the particular streamline conformation of this casing whereby minimum resistance through thewater is provided so that relatively high speeds may be attained. f

In the present construction which is a preteli-ed embodiment of myinvention, the lower portion of the tubular casing l0 is provided withan upper housing 36 which flares forwardly and rearwardly as vat 38 and40 towards its bottom and is there provided with a flanged cap 42 whichapproaches substantial stream line contour. This flanged cap 42 isbolted as at 44 and 46 to the upper portion of r the stream linepropeller carrying casing 48.

*This propeller carrying casing is preferably formed asa main casting oflight metal such as aluminum or aluminum alloy and is termed Withalowervertical portion 50 which merges into a propeller casin 52 ofsubstantially round dimensionsas c early shown in Figures 2 and 4. Thefront or nose of this propeller casing 52 is closed by means of a cap 54bolted thereto as at 56 while the rear of the casing issubstantiallyclosed b means of an appropriate packing hereina ter described and thepropeller 58 and the nut 6( Located below the normal water level whenthe assembly is mounted on the boat in operative posit-ion, the casing48 and 50 is provided with an integralv anti-cavitation late 62 adaptedto directly overlie the pati of travel of the propeller blades. In mypreferred embodiment this anti-cavitation-plate is utilized as a meansfor carrying a water gathering mouth 64 integral therewith which watergathering mouth is provided with an opening 66 having a grating 68 orscreen for obstructing sticks and other ioating objects and preventingthem entering the water circulating system.l As shown clearly inFigure-i, this anti-cavitation plate is formed hollow so as to provide awater conduit 70 which comnumicates with a water inlet passage 7 2 inthe upper portion of thek casing 48 which passage in turn communicatesby means of an outlet 74 with a water` inletpipe, not shown, passingupwardly through the circuit casing l0 about the vertical drive' shaftof the engine which forms an extension of the lower shaft 76 enclosed bythe gear casing and which is detachably clutched thereto as is wellknown in the art.

In the prior application before mentioned, the entire gear casing abovedescribed was formed of stream line contour of substantially knife-edgeconstruction and wherein it was formed from top to bottom of the crosssection ysubstantially shown in Figure 6 of the present drawings, thatis, ott symmetrical wedge-shaped construction. invention I have formedthe lower portion of the casing or that portion 50 which extends up tothe anti-cavitation late 62, of stream line design or contour dierentfrom the upper portion 48. This lower portion of the gear casing 50 isthat portion which is constantly submerged and therefore in order topresent the minimum resistance to the flow ot' water, the vertical frontedge or nose of this portion of the casing 50 is formed of the streamline design shown in Figure 5, the same being of substantially blunt orrounded formation as is indicated at 78, the contour thence being formedof smoothl flowing symmetrical/walls terminating 1n' a -trailingknife-edge design portion 80. guishe'd from this particular shape theupper portion 48 from the horizontal plane of the anti-cavitation plate62 to the top of the casing 48 is formed of the cross section In mypresent As distinsubstantially indicated at Figure 6 .wherein l thefront edge or nose of this section 48 of the casing is formed ofsubstantially Wedgeshaped or knife-edge shape as shown at 82.

The particular formation of this frontal edge or divide the water andspray during the passage of the casing unit through the water,y

-by means of this combination of stream line constructions, much higherspeeds in traveling through the water are permitted. I

The internal construction of the lower unit or propeller carrying casingis substantially shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. This casingis provided with an internal partition 84 which forms the upper waterpassage 72 and provides a lubricant containing chamber 86. In addition,the lower portion of this chamber is rovided with an integral bearing 88while t e upper portion is provided With a bearing 90, both for thevertical drive shaft 76 which forms a continuation of the engine shaft.

This vertical drive shaft has pinned thereto as at 92 a clutch collar 77and the lower edge of this collar 77 provides a means whereby the-shaftcan hang upon a seat formed by means of a washer 94 seating on an uppershoulder of the bearing 90'and upon a bushing 96 surrounding a largeportion of the vertical shaft 76. In addition, this shaft is provideda-t its upper end with a. spiral oil groove feed 98 which is adapted toreceive oil from a circular recess 100 in the upper portion of thecasing 48 which bore or cup 100 is' fed with a lubricant which leaksdownwardly from the upper crank casing and this lubricant in turn is fedby means of the spiral Y groove 98 into this bearing. In like manner,the lower bearing 88 is provided with a bushing 102 and the drive shaft)76 is provided with an additional spiral groove 104 for feedinglubricant Within the chamber 86 of the casing to the bearing at thlspoint. The lower portion of the drive shaft 76 below this bearing hassplined thereto a bevel gear 106 spaced from the bushing 102 and thebearing 88 by means of a Washer 108 which faces a circular flange on thebottom portion of the bearing 102. This gear 106 meshes with anotherbevel gear 110 mounted on.the propeller carrying shaft 112 which isarranged substantially at right angles to the shaft 76 and is mounted ona ball bearing 114 carried in the closing cap 116 which as heretoforestated is provided with a bluntly circular dome which closes the frontof the propeller carrying portion of the casing' 52. lVithin this cap116, a nut 118 securely holds the 1nner-most portion of the bearing 114on the shaft. The outer ring of the ball bearing or that designated at120 is provided with an inwardly extending ring 122, the innercircumferential edge of which is slightly spaced from the. outerperiphery of the inner seal of the ball bearing member 114 sofas torevent the water or any leakage from wit in the chamber 86 from passinginto the front chamber 124 within the dome 11.6. In addition by means ofthe rotation of the gear 110 the circumferential effect will throw theWater or other leakage outwardly and thus prevent it 1 l entering pastthe ball bearing 114 and into the chamber 124. This chamber iscompletely iilled with lubricant and thus a self contained lubricatingsystem is attained by'r -means vof this bearing construction.

The rear end of this casing 52 is provided l with an opening throughwhich the propeller shaft projects and this opening is sealed by meansof a flexible washer 130 preferably of leather, carried by a sheet metalring 132 in an enclosing or outer ring: 134, a coil spring 136 forcingthe leather gasket 130 normally against the shaft whereby to provide afriction seal which-prevents water passing in from the rear of casing 52and likewiseprevents a lubricant passing out. The hub of the `propeller58 surxounds `the outer end of the shaft, being suitably attachedthereto and is held in place on the threaded end of the shaft by meansof the nut 60.

Lubricant may be fed into the chamber 86' of the lower casing throughmeans of an inlet 138 and a lubricant outlet 140, the former beinglocated substantially at they lowermost part of the propeller casing 52and the latter being located substantially at the top asv shown inFigure 3. These holes 138 and 140 are closed by suitable threaded plugs,the outer surfaces of which form with the casing the proper stream linecontour. Water which accumulates in chamber 86 may be Withdrawn from thebottom opening 138.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a Vmost improved constructionfor the lower unit or propeller carrying casing of an outboard orinboard motorv assembly.

In general, it is constructed of stream line contour of such design asto present a minimum resistance to the Water, particularly at highspeeds, and inaddition is constructed so as to provide a mosteconomical, eiiicient, and convenient assembly of bearing constructionfor the substantially vertical drive shaft and the substantiallyhorizontal propeller shaft while at the same time thoroughly lubricating these shafts and their bearingsand preventing the leakage into thecasing of any water from the'outside and also preventing the egressor'leakage of lubricant from within the casing.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A propulsion device for water vehicles comprising in combination, asupport, a prime mover mounted thereon and having a substantiallyvertical drive shaft, a casing surrounding said drive shaft, a pro ellercarrybelow the water level having a frontal edge of roundedblunt-likestream line contour and that portion of the casing at andabove'the normal water level having a frontal edge of substantiallywedge-shaped or knife-edge construction.l A

2. A propellerlcarr ing casing for a water propulsion device an havingits upper portion adapted to project above the normal water level, saidcasing being of stream line contour from top to bottom, that portion ofthe casing which lies at and above the normal water level being ofsymmetrical knife-edge construction of stream line contour andthatportion below the normal water level having its frontal edge of bluntlyrounded stream line contour with a trailing edge of substantiallyknife-edge stream line construction. I

3. A'propeller carrying casing for a propulsion device of a watervehicle having an anti-cavitation plate directly overlying the ath oftravel of the propeller blades, and

ying below the water level, said casing having a ortion projecting abovethe water level of su stantially symmetrical knife-edge or wed e-likestream line contour and having a portion below said anti-cavitationplate, the front vertical edge of which is of substantiali ly bluntlyrounded stream line contour and the trailing edge of which issubstantially knife-edge or. wedge-like stream line contour.

4. A propeller carrying casing for a water propulsion device of a watervehicle comprisn ing an integral casin having an upper portion adaptedto lie su stantiall at and above the normal water level, and eing ofsymmetrical substantially knife-edge construction of stream linecontour, and having a lower portion of stream line contour wherein thefront'vertical edge is of substantiallyrounded blunt-like Astream linecontour and trails rearwardly into a substantially knife edge streamline contour.

5. A propeller carrying casing for a propulsion device for a Watervehicle comprising an integral casing carrying a vertical drive shaft, apropeller shaft and a propeller, said casing having an integralanti-cavitation plate extendin rearwardly and overlying the propeller,sai casing from the anti-cavitation plate upwardly being of symmetricalsubstantially knife-edge construction stream line contour and saidcasing from the antipath of travel of the propeller and provided with awater gathering mouth adapted to have water forced thereinto by thetravel of the propeller blades, said anti-cavitation plate being formedwith a hollow passage connecting with an internal passage within"v` thecasing, said casing having a discharge outlet adapted to connect withthe water jacket of the prime moverjof the propulsion device, saidcasing at and above the anti-cavitation platebeing of substantiallysymmetrical knifeedge stream line construction, said casing below theanti-cavitation plate having frontal vertical edge of substantiallybluntly rounded stream line contour trailing into a knife-edge streamline contour.

7.-'1/hec0mbination with a propulsion device for a water vehicle, aprime mover having a vertically extending drive shaft, a gear casingadapted to carry the propeller, said gear casing having an upper bearingfor said drive shaft and a spaced lower bearing for said drive shaft, apropeller carrying shaft disposed at right angles to said drive shaftand havingbearings in the lower portion of said casing, bevel gearsinterconnecting said shafts, a bushing for the upper bearing, means vatthe upper portion of said bushing forming a lubricant containing recess,said drive shaft within said bushing being provided with a spiral grooveadapted to receive lubricant from said recess, said drive shaft at said'lower bearing having a spiral groove for feeding lubricant containedwithin said casing to said lower bearing.

8. In a water propulsion device fora water vehicle, the combination witha support, a prime -mover thereon having a vertically depending driveshaft, a propeller carrying casing mounted on said support and adaptedto house the lower end of said drive shaft, a horizontal propeller,shaft mounted in the lower portion of said casing and carrying a bevelgear meshing with a bevel gear on the lower end of said vertical driveshaft, a ball bearing for the frontal end of said propeller shaft, a capclosing the front of said casing and closing the front end of saidpropeller shaft and adapted to contain lubricant therein, the outerannular race of said ball bearing having an annular inwardly projectingring carried thereby and spaced from the peripheral wall of the innerannular race of said ball bearing, said ring being spaced adjacent thebevel gear mounted onsaid horizontal shaft whereby the said bevel gearin its rotation will tend to keep water or other leakage away from saidball bearing and its rin and shaft mounted within said casing andgeared` to the lower end of-said drive shaft, said casing having a rearopening through which said propeller projects,- a propeller on theprof'cting rear end of said shaft and a sealed pac 'ng carried by saidcasing and shaft for said opening through which the propeller shaftprojects, said packing com rising a flexible annular gasket adapted tofrictionally drag about the periphery of said propeller shaft and aresilient means directly engaging and pressin said flexible gasketagainst said shaft Where y to prevent the ingress of water into saidcasing and the egress of lubricant i out of said casing through saidopening.

10. In a water propulsion device for the prime mover of a water vehiclecomprising the combination of a prime mover having a verticallydepending drive shaft, a support concentrically surrounding said driveshaft and having a gear casing at its lower end surrounding said driveshaft and enclosingthe same, a propeller carrying casing geared to saiddrive shaft and passing through the rear end of said casing, a propellerthereon, said casing being provided with an internal lubricantcontaining chamber extending substantially the height of said casing,said casing having a lower opening and being provided with an upperopening, vplugs closing said openings, said openings being adapted tothe insertion of lubricant and the Withdrawal of water from saidchamber.

11. A pro eller carrying casing for the lower unit o a propulsion deviceof an out'- board motor type, said casing being an integral constructionof relatively light metal and provided with an integral anti-cavitationplate formed with an internal water passage, said casing at and abovesaid anti-cavitation plate being of substantially symmetricalwedge-shaped stream line contour, andvsaid casing below saidanti-cavitation plate having a frontal edge of substantially roundedbluntlike stream line contour trailing into a substantially knife-edgestream line contour, said anti-cavitation plate having a lower portionover-hanging the path of travel of the propeller blades and`providedwith a water gathering mouth lying in the rear of the path of'travel ofthe propeller blades, said depending portion and water gathering mouthbeing of less width than the width of the streamv line contour at suchhorizontal plane of the casing.

12. A propeller carrying casing for the lower unit of an outboard motorpro ulsion device having an integrally forme anticavtationplate, and thecasing having' a 'stream line contour with its frpnt vertical knife edgestream line contour.

13. A propeller carrying casingfor a water edge of com arati'velyblunt-like stream line c ontour trailing rearwardly to a substantiallypropulsion device havingl an integrally formed antiQcavitatiou plate,and the casing having a stream line contour with a knife edge both atthe front and rear edges of the casing.

14. A propeller carrying casing for a water propulsion device having itsupper portion adapted to project .above the normal waterlevel, saidcasing being of stream line con`\ tour from top to bottom; and thatportion below the normal water level having its front edge of bluntlyrounded stream line contour with a`trailing edge of substantially knifeedge stream line construction.

15. A propeller carrying casing for a propulsion device of an outboardmotor having an anti-cavitation plate overlying the path of travel ofthe propeller blades and having a water gathering mouth below the plateadapted to receive water forced there into by the propeller blades, andsaid casing being of stream line contour having a front vertical edgebluntly rounded and a trailing rear edge of thin stream line contoursubstantially less in width than the gathering mouth and located at adistance infront of the gathering mouth. l

16. A pro eller carrying casing for the lower unit o a propulsion deviceof an outboard motor type, having an integrally formed anti-cavitationplate, and the casing having a stream line contourabove and below theanti-cavitation plate, the front edge of the casing on one side of theplate being in advance of the front edge on the other side of the plate.

17. The combination with a propulsion device for a water vehicle of aprime mover having a vertically extending drive shaft, a gear casingadapted to carry the propeller, said gear casing having a bearing forsaiddrive shaft and a recess at the upper end of the bearing forreceiving lubricant, and said drive shaft within said bearing havinggroove for feeding lubricant to the bearing from said recess.

18. A propulsion device for a water vehicle comprising a prime moverhaving a vertically extendingdrive shaft, a gear casing adapted to carrythe propeller said gear casing having a lubricant chamber and a shaftbearing therein and said drive shaft within the bearing having a groovecommunicatingv with the chamber for feeding lubricant contained withinthe casing chamber to said bearing. s

19. A propeller carrying casing for a water propulsion device having anintegrally formed anti-cavtation plate, and the casing I propulsiondevicehaving its upper ortion adapted to project above thefnorma waterfm level, said casing being of stream line contour from top to bottom;and that portion below the normal water level having itsfront edge ofbluntly rounded stream line contour ,with a trailing edge ofsubstantially knifep 1.5 edge stream line construction and beingl less.20 propulsion device havingits upper portion in its dimensionsfrom itsfront toits rear edgei than. the portion at and above water leve 21. Apropeller carrying casing for a water adapted to project above thenormal Water level, said vcasing being of stream line con tour from topto bottom; that portion of the front edge of the casing at and above -25the water. line being of sharpedged stream line contour and thatvportion below the normal Water level having its front edge of bluntlyrounded stream line contour with the trailing edge of substantiallyknife-edge o .stream line construction, .the casing at and above thewater line being longer from its front to its rear edges than thatportion below the normal water level.

In witness whereof, I have .hereunto sub- 35 scribed my name.

' 'LOUIS JAMES JOHNSON.

nlscLllu'MER p 1,763,970.-Lom's James Johnson, Waukegan, Ill.STREAM-LINE vCon*s'rRUcTIoN. Patent dated June 17, 1980. Disclaimer iledMay 1942 by the assignee,

: l Johnson 'Brothers Engineering Corporation.: Hereby disclaims claims3 and 14 of said Letters Patent. [Official Gazette June 2, 1942.]

